Ravi Shastri Defends Rishabh Pant Form: Former Indian Cricket Team player and head coach Ravi Shastri came out to defend Rishabh Pant after the latter got out while playing an unconventional shot in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Today was Day Three of the fourth Australia vs India Test out of five at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Aussies won the toss and decided to bat first. In the first inning, the home side scored 474 runs on the back of a fine ton by Steve Smith and solid 50s by Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, and debutant Sam Konstas.
In response, India lost two wickets at a score of 51. But then, Virat Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched together a 100-run partnership. But, a few overs before the end of the play of Day Two, both men got out, and so did night-watchman Akashdeep, leaving Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja on strike overnight at the score of 164.
On day three, Pant and Jadeja put on some runs together. The Indian wicketkeeper looked a little shaky for all his time on the field. They then decided to take on the Australian bowlers and looked to play big shots.
Check Out: Ravi Shastri Defends Rishabh Pant Form
But one such shot, which he attempted to play over fine leg while batting on 28, saw the ball edging his bat and flying towards third man instead, where he was caught out.
There was a lot of criticism surrounding Rishabh Pant’s wicket. Sunil Gavaskar’s reaction to Pant’s wicket while commentating was quite aggressive and is now going viral.
“Stupid, stupid, STUPID! You’ve got two fielders there, and you still go for that. You missed the previous shot, and look where you’ve been caught. That is throwing away your wicket. You cannot say that is your natural game. I’m sorry. That is not your natural game. This is a stupid shot. This is letting your team down badly. You have to understand the situation as well,” said Gavaskar during commentary on ABC Sport.
It has not been a series to remember for Rishabh. In the six innings in four matches so far, he has scored a total of 124 runs, with 37 being his highest score.
Ravi Shastri Defends Rishabh Pant Form
After the play ended for the day, Ravi Shastri came to Pant’s rescue, pointing out how he has gotten out to brilliant deliveries in this series. Shastri told this to Star Sports,
“It’s not in every innings he has attempted that shot. Let’s look at the way he was dismissed in each innings; he got 2-3 really good deliveries. He got a really good delivery that left off the length in Adelaide; there was no way he played an attacking shot.”
He then went on to say that people need to calm down and not react too much in regard to Pant’s form, saying,
“He got another one that left him; he was caught behind. Second innings in Adelaide, the second ball of the day, he gets a good one from Starc, and he nicks it. So, let’s calm down here, guys. It’s not every time he’s throwing it away. He got some good balls as well.”
Finally, Shastri gave Pant some much-needed advice.
“He had done the hard work. The field had spread out. That’s one aspect of his batting that has to change with time to come. He’s built up a reputation for himself; he comes to the field, he smashes a boundary, and the field spreads. That’s the time when maturity should come in, knock the ball around, and take singles,” said the former head coach.
The play ended on Day three of the fourth India vs Australia Test. The Men in Blue had scored 358/9, trailing the Kangaroos by 116 runs. As for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as a whole, the winner of this match will ensure that they will not lose this series and will go into the fifth Test in Sydney with an advantage in this series.
Check Out: Ravi Shastri Defends Rishabh Pant Form
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